“Film Opening Research #1 - "The Fast and The Furious”

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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcKbt9my_WI 

Film One: “The Fast and The Furious”  

  1. How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film? There are two titles displayed during the opening scene. The “Universal Studios” title and the movie title, “The Fast and The Furious.  

  1. What images are prioritized in the opening sequence? Images of cargo containers and boxes, Panasonic TV sets, cargo trucks, racing cars, wheels and what seems to be a chase scene appear in the opening scene.  

  1. What connotations do the images carry? The images invoke a feeling of suspense and action because we don’t know what's about to take place. There is tension between the racers and the truck driver and there's in obvious action taking place. It takes place in a high-paced setting.  

  1. How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset? The genre of action is reinforced through this opening scene using technical codes. The opening scene happens to be a high paced car chase scene, where the characters highjack a cargo truck. The use of camera angles and editing is used to put this scene together well. Additionally, the sounds of the revving engines and tire screeches helps add to the action feeling of a car chase. The lighting is also dark and mysterious making the chase scene even more intense because the viewer is anticipation more action to keep coming. Symbolic codes such as the setting and the visual composition help add to this action scene. We can tell the setting goes from a cargo port, to then an open highway where the open cargo container is being targeted for a heist. The highway setting prepares us for a chase scene and the visual composition keeps the racer cars and the cargo truck in the shot the while time to really focus the chase on those two. 

  1. How does the film establish an enigma from the outset? Enigma is established through the opening scene by the lack of communication by characters we are given in the scene. We open to a cargo port, and then are focused on a singular cargo container filled with Panasonic tv sets and then fade cut to a man on a phone telling the mysterious character that the container they should be looking for says “Rodgers” on the side of it and that he “better be getting his fair share of the deal”. We are now wondering what that is going to take place and why this cargo container is so important. The car chase/high jacking then adds to the suspense because the characters are wearing masks and we have no idea who or why they are after this cargo truck and container.  

  1. What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience? Strategies like making the opening scene a high paced car chase appeals to it target audience because they are viewers looking for an action movie. This opening scene gives them a small taste of what the movie will be like, and then uses technical codes like sound and sound effects such as car engines and tire peels to get the viewer invested in the film before it really starts.  

  1. How has technology been used effectively? You might want to consider camera angles, transitions and editing techniques.  Technology is used quite effectively here from camera angles to sound affects this opening scene goes all out. We open to an establishing shot of the cargo port. It then cuts to the man on the phone and we then follow the truck, and it cuts to the company label and zooms out to an establishing shot of the highway road the truck is traveling on. It pans down to the wheel of the truck and cuts to behind the truck where three loud Honda civics attack the truck.  


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